Ladycats robbed of SBCN title

0

GOSHEN — Because four Southern Buckeye Conference National Division schools were unable to field a compete team for the league’s Cross Country Championships, Blanchester’s girls team was forced to run against schools from the American Division.

The result was the Ladycats finished third overall, behind Amelia and New Richmond, in the league championship meet Saturday at Goshen High School.

“Right before the start of the girl’s race, we find out that four of the other teams in our (National) division cannot field a full team and that we were going to get thrown into the big school division of the race,” said Blanchester head coach Tony Blevins, who added a minimum of three schools must have a full team for a division to contest a league championship event. “We were geared to go after Bethel-Tate who we had battled back and forth with all year for the league title.”

Blevins said five of the six teams in the National Division had complete teams a week ago, but not on Saturday.

“The girls ran a great race, with many setting personal records for the season and would have brought home a SBAAC championship,” said Blevins. “It was upsetting. Savannah Rhodes would have been the runner of the year in the National Division.”

Blevins said Rhodes, Olivia Gundler, Emma Gundler and Mckenzie Hamm would have earned first-team All-SBC honors had the National Division had the necessary number of complete teams. Rhodes and Olivia Gundler did all the combined all-league first team honor.

“One of the big motivators is with a league championship (at Blanchester) comes a team picture in the hallway of champion. That also means a lot to be able to come back years later and see you picture still hanging. I feel terrible for the girls. It was our primary goal to win the league.”

SUMMARY

Oct 17, 2015

@Goshen High School

SBC Cross Country Championship

Team results

Amelia 40 New Richmond 56 Blanchester 79 Western Brown 84 Bethel-Tate 90 Batavia 154

Individual results (88 runners)

1, Maddie Walker (A) 18:48.65; 6, Savannah Rhodes (B) 20:44; 7, Olivia Gundler (B) 20:48.37; 15, Mckenzie Hamm (B) 21:50.13; 21, Emma Gundler (B) 22:38.21; 35, Hope Florea (B) 24:34.14; 39, McKenzie Miller (B) 24:49.71; 40, Cheyenne Rhodes (B) 25:00.98; 63, Sierra Drake (B) 26:59.1; 69, Elecia Patton (B) 28:17.98

Staff Report

No posts to display